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• first name
  first name

  noun

  given name.
• first-name
  first-name

  adjective

  of or relating to one's first, or given, name; familiar; intimate.

first name

¹ American  

noun

first names plural

1. given name.

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first-name ² American  

[furst-neym, furst-neym] / ˈfɜrstˌneɪm, ˈfɜrstˈneɪm /

adjective

1. of or relating to one's first, or given, name; familiar; intimate.

   They were on a first-name basis soon after meeting.

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verb (used with object)

first-named, first-naming

1. to address (someone) by their first name, especially as a sign of informality or familiarity.

   The boss doesn't like the employees to first-name her.

first name British  

noun

1. Also called: Christian name.   forename.   given name.  a name given to a person at birth, as opposed to a surname

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• first names
  plural

Etymology

Origin of first name¹

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50

Origin of first-name²

First recorded in 1300–50

Example Sentences

Mario, who asked to be identified by only his first name because of his pending immigration case, is among seven workers who U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2026

"Where are the anti-drone systems here? Shouldn't they be somewhere on the border of Romania? Why aren't they? Where is the European Union? NATO?" asked 47-year-old Mihaela, who only gave her first name.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

His first name derives from that of Zayd Shakur, the minister of information of the East Coast Panthers, a radical group formed in the late 1960s.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

For so long, it has felt inconceivable to not have Heather Knight as the first name on the England team sheet.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Mom taught me to always call adults by Ms. or Mr. whatever their last name is, unless they say it’s okay to use their first name.

From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks

Related Words

• given name